“We created these new products so students won’t have to give up their lunchtime favorites in order to have well-balanced, plant-based meals at school.”

Impossible Foods is expanding its school lunch menu options by launching a pre-cooked Impossible Burger patty for kids.

In addition, the brand will be showcasing new whole-grain chicken nuggets at the School Nutrition Association Annual Conference taking place this week in Orlando, Florida. 

The new additions are designed specifically for K-12 cafeterias, and come after the company secured the Child Nutrition (CN) Labels for its plant-based meat.

The labels from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) ‘determine how much a particular food contributes to federal meal pattern requirements for nutritionally balanced meals for children each school day’.

Following a rigorous submission process, the brand’s ground Impossible Beef and breakfast sausage patties received the CN label last year. The items are currently served in 500 schools throughout the US.

Joining the line-up, the new pre-cooked burgers come in kid-friendly patty sizes, which only require re-heating and offer a complete balanced nutrition profile.

While product details about the new whole grain Impossible Chicken Nuggets are still under wraps, the company is expected to unveil them during the second half of the 2022-2023 school year.

The new nuggets are touted to be a healthier version of Impossible’s best-selling Impossible Chicken Nuggets, which launched in Canada earlier this month.

Impossible Foods foray into the K-12 market

According to Impossible Foods CEO and founder Pat  Brown, “Making Impossible products available everywhere people consume meat, which for kids often includes schools, is key to the mission of the company.”

And the meatless dishes are already proving a success with some of the largest school districts in the country showing interest.

Students and parents have also responded positively. Lisa Griffin, director of Nutrition for Union Public Schools in Oklahoma told Impossible Foods that since the launch, parents have offered feedback such as: “My child said they can eat food at school and they’re so excited!” and “My child is eating everyday and is happy and full.”

Laura Kliman is Impossible Foods’ director of new product development. She told Mashed: “We created these new products so students won’t have to give up their lunchtime favorites in order to have well-balanced, plant-based meals at school.

 “Nutritious food is critical to child development, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of tasting good or the future of our planet.”

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